Quebec publishes details of the new immigration pilot program: Immigration program changes

The draft regulation relating to the implementation of three new pilot permanent immigration programs was published on October 28, 2020, in the Gazette officielle du Québec.

Over the next 45 days, the government intends to gather feedback on these programs before they officially launch.

The three new pilot permanent immigration programs, already announced by the government earlier this year, are:

• the pilot program for nursing assistants
• the pilot program for workers in the Artificial Intelligence(AI), Information Technology(IT), and visual effects sectors
• the pilot program for Food Processing(FP) workers

Also, the government announced major improvements to the process for receiving applications for the Refugee Abroad Program, or collective sponsorship, as well as new regulations for the Self-Employed Program and the Entrepreneur Program.

New pilot programs are implemented to attract and retain labor

Through these new pilot programs, the Quebec government aims to “attract and retain people whose skills meet the specific needs of the Quebec labor market” and to remedy labor shortages in three key areas. The three pilots will come into effect after a 45-day consultation period.

The nursing aide pilot program will allow the selection of up to 550 principal applicants per year to work as nursing aides and orderlies in Quebec. The accompanying family members will also receive Quebec selection certificates under this program.

The pilot program for food processing workers will provide a path to permanent immigration for temporary foreign workers working in the food processing sector. It will also be a five-year program where up to 550 eligible workers and their families will be selected each year.

The third pilot program covers the areas of artificial intelligence, information technology, and visual effects. Like the previous two pilots, it will also last five years and select up to 550 people and their families.

The selection will also be split between the artificial intelligence sector and the other two sectors. This pilot project aims both to attract international talent working in these sectors and to ensure the retention of those who are already in Quebec temporarily.

Changes to processing times for immigration applications and programs

Quebec has also published information on the number of applications that will be received under economic immigration programs for the coming year. Here are the highlights:

• A limit of 50 applications for permanent selection has been set under the Self-Employed Program for the period from November 1, 2020, to September 30, 2021.

• A limit of 25 permanent selection applications will be accepted under the first part of the Entrepreneur program from November 1, 2020, to September 30, 2021.
• The second part of the entrepreneur program is suspended for the following year so that it can be improved.
• The selection criteria in force for immigration applicants who have submitted an expression of interest to Arrima, Quebec’s immigration application management system, for selection under the Regular Skilled Worker Program have also been renewed and are in effect until November 1, 2021.

Also, the government has introduced changes and a new admission period for group sponsorship applications under the Program for Refugees Abroad. There will now be a maximum of 750 group sponsorship requests of two to five people accepted from April 6 to May 5, 2021. Sponsorship requests must also be submitted online and will then be selected at random by drawing lots.

According to today’s government press release, the reception of sponsorship applications from organizations located in Montreal as well as outside the city is temporarily suspended until November 1, 2021. This is done to terminate criminal and administrative investigations due to “serious allegations that question the integrity” of some refugee protection organizations.

Reference is taken from CIC News